Prostatectomy or radiation plus hormome

Hello Mechanic 

A warm welcome to the Macmillan Online Prostate Cancer Community - I am sorry to find you here but we are a decent bunch.

Yours is a very personal question and to me the answer is to get a pen and paper and list the pros and cons of HT/RT v Surgery as they would affect you. Use trusted sources for your research - Macmillan - Prostate Cancer UK (but NOT Dr Google!). There are plenty of Community members who are happy to answer any specific questions you have on either treatment.

There's a cracking link here where bot HT/RT and Surgery are talked about in detail - including all side effects (we don't all get every side effect).

community.macmillan.org.uk/.../fighting-prostate-cancer--a-survival-guide

It's a hard choice to make and your surgeon will say surgery and the oncologist HT/Rt.

I do hope this helps - ask any questions - nothing is to trivial and we will have someone who has "been there - got the T Shirt".

Best wishes - Brian.

I've just been going through these questions myself, although in the end surgery wasn't an option.

I did find out, though, that the prognosis for both is very similar.

I hope that helps.

Thank you so much have downloaded it think your do right about stay away from Dr google my heads in bits

Hi Mechanic.

Welcome to our prostate cancer family sorry to meet you under these circumstances though but never mind it's still great to have you on board.

Yes it is a very difficult/personal decision to make but you do need to do your research and make sure you take your time to start but please look and chat to people on here as many have "been there and done it"

By the looks of things is the cancer still contained in the prostate??

If so do you want the cancer and prostate taken out??

Or do you want the HT/Radiation route??

There are side effects with both potentially and I can vouch for the HT Plan as I have been on this for over 12mnts giving me Hot Sweats & Fatigue & Weight Gain.

There are other members who have had there prostate/cancer taken out who would be very happy to share there story's with you.

I'm very happy in helping/supporting you in anyway that I can!!!!!!!

Prostate Worrier 

Hi Mechanic,

Sorry that you find yourself joining this group, but you will find a wealth of help & experience & a fantastic group of people who will support you.

It's a real conundrum having to make a choice between surgery or HT/RT & there seems to be no right or wrong answer as in the end it comes down to personal choice & what feels right for you based on your own circumstances.  As others have said, it's important to find out as much as you can about either option & then make a list of the pro's & cons of each.  Anything you are unsure of just ask away on here & someone is bound to have had an experience that they can relate back to you.

I was 67 when diagnosed as Gleason 7 (4 + 3) last year & my personal choice was for HT/RT, in part because the HT was only going to be for 9 months in total with the aim of a cure.  If it helps, you can read my personal journey by clicking on my icon.

Best Wishes

Brian

I would not have surgary if i had the choice over again. your count is low a 7 mine is a 9 and had it for 14yrs i am 71 yrs old and still working as a taxi driver, 50 hours a week but i do get sat and sun off lol. with the hormone theatment can and possilby will cause diabites and sorry to say this but you will grow a nice pair not to put a finer point on it lol. I know this is blunt but dealing with somthink that dont take a day off it helps to be able to lauf and cry if needed, your are alllowed most people will tell you to keep a stif upper lip and dont let it get you down well i say you need that down time.  

look i get by every day by drinking 2 cans of monster have been for 10yrs it works for me but i do sip a can over for 4hrs. do i get down yes i do however i use my two rules.( they will hate me for saying this lol )

1 ) you are allowed to take a day off, graham says you can be rude if you need to just say graham said your alowed and you can have 15 days in 100 thats good 

2 )  for the other 85days you have to have a good ones how? well ever moring you get look out your window and say to yourself i beat the night thats a good place to start.  

wow thats a book sorry did not mean to go on im hear and im back at barts on thurs, that will be either good or bad depending on the bloods wish me luck yours Graham

Hi Mechanic

I had the same Gleason score as you and was given the same choice earlier this year - I'm 76 and was told I wouldn't normally have the option of surgery but, as I'm reasonably fit with no other health issues, I was offered that option and had to make the choice.

The advice you have been given is so valid - do as much research from trusted sources as you can so that you can properly evaluate the pros and cons as they might affect you. I say 'might' because as has been said everyone reacts a bit differently when it comes to side-effects and not everyone gets them all in any case. 

In the end, I opted for RT, supported by hormone therapy. Yes, there are side-effects but for me, I'm happy that I made the right choice. My RT was done during April and I had 28 weeks of HT in total ( now told I don't need any more). Latest blood test showed PSA at 0.05, so all good so far. I'll be retested after three months and 'cured' if all stays good for 5 years.

I wish you all the very, very best in making your decision and in your journey through whichever route you decide to take. The guys ( and gals( on this forum are a great lot and SO supportive so stay in touch.

Hi It’s a difficult decision , and we are all different and each of the procedures effect us all differently .

For me I made an easy decision and went for surgery ,aged 64 Gleason 7 4 + 3 . My choice was made on several factors , 1 .i just felt that I wanted the Cancer removed and gone , 2 if you have HT and Radio then you will be very unlikely to have surgery after whereas  if Surgery does not get it all it can be followed up with HT and Radio , Surgery was over very quickly 48 hours and home to recover . Side effects are similar for both routes with some differences , I did not want to put weight on or suffer from fatigue . 
8 weeks post operation now , back to playing golf and normal activities . Incontenance has just about stopped with the odd dribble . Just Ed to overcome .     If I had to choose again I would go down the same route .

But we are all different and the decision has to be made on your personnel circumstances and what you can tolerate . 
Wish you all the best which ever way you choose to go .

Hi Mechanic 

U don't give any stats so will presume  still contained in the gland and possibly lowish Gleeson and PSA.

Surgery a major op and possible ED and urinary issues afterwards but obviously doesn't affect everyone.

RT is a simple procedure, just lie on a bench and be zapped for a few minutes a day for about 4 weeks.

Potentially with this one no long term side effects.

Only downside with RT, u can't have surgery if cancer returns but u can do RT after surgery if necessary but then hopefully not needed anyway 

Best wishes 

Steve 

Hi

My husband aged 58 is recovering from Radical Prostectomy (2 and a half weeks ago) at the moment he is Gleeson 9 PSA 5.6 and initial staging was T2b  before we know the histology from the surgery. 
Surgeon took left nerve bundle and spared the right. 
He is wearing a pad but has not leaked except for once when he was laughing hard (never thought we would laugh again the day he was diagnosed) 

He is glad he went for surgery as he wanted to get over the treatment in one go, however being a Gleeson  9 we understand the risks of Biochemical Recurrence. We are praying his PSA is as it should be at the first test! 

Good Luck